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Posted on Tue, Apr 3, 2012 : 11:44 a.m.

Manager suspects arson in mobile home fire in Ypsilanti Township

By Pete Cunningham

The Ypsilanti Township Fire Department is investigating the cause of a suspicious fire early Monday at an abandoned mobile home.

Firefighters were called to Timberlands mobile home park, 3375 E. Michigan Ave., at 4:34 a.m. where a trailer was ablaze. According to Lt. Dave Crescio, it took firefighters around 15 minutes to extinguish the fire and the scene was secured by around 6 a.m.

Beth Kahn, manager at Timberlands, said the home is not salvageable. The trailer had been abandoned by the owners since January. Kahn said she has had no luck contacting the previous residents - a man and woman - since they left, but doesn't suspect them in the fire. She doesn't, however, believe the fire was an accident.

"I honestly think someone did it purposefully," Kahn said. "I think they thought it'd be funny to watch it burn. It's too bad because it's normally very quiet around here."

Kahn said there is a neighborhood watch that normally patrols the area nightly for suspicious activity, but that nothing had been reported to her regarding the fire.

Crescio said the township fire department will investigate the incident. It appeared no one had been using the trailer since it had been abandoned.